Last night I watched the show Super Nanny. My heart broke for the family that was portrayed. There was a mom, dad, four-year-old twin girls and a three-year-old Autistic boy. In the beginning, it became clear that the mom was frazzled and didn’t understand how much her children needed her. She was constantly shewing her children away. She admitted that she felt like a failure as a mother and that she had quit trying. I wished I could morph through the television to give her a big hug and tell her not to give up.
Thankfully Super Nanny and an expert in Autism were able to help her see what her children needed and how she could meet those needs. As a result, the family dynamics totally changed. Their autistic son was using words and interacting with the family, the little girls were getting the attention they needed and mom and dad seemed to finally enjoy being parents.
Being a mom can be tough at times. Throw a special needs child into the loop and it becomes even tougher. I often wonder if I am doing enough to help my son with special needs. I worry that the other children are not getting enough of my attention. In the discouraging moments, I find encouragement in knowing that God gave me these children. He wouldn’t have done that if I didn’t have what it takes to be a good mother.
Moms all need encouragement from time to time. It’s easy for moms, especially stay-at-home moms with young children, to feel like they are not offering anything to society. That’s a lie. It’s just that we often won’t see the results of our hard work until our children are grown. We need to be reminded that what we are doing today will reach far into the future.
Over the next few weeks I will be blogging on the topic of the role of a mother. I’ll talk about the influence she has, about her value and I will share some of the things that I have learned (and am learning) along the way. I will also share some practical wisdom that others have shared with me.
In the meantime, moms, be encouraged. You are a mother because that is what God wants you to be. Your children are a gift from Him. Enjoy them!